February 27, 2007

 

Increase in Philippine fishery exports to EU seen

 

 

The Philippines has successfully passed the European Union's (EU) stringent Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) requirements for fishery and aquaculture exports to the EU, said Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap.

 

Yap told the Philippine Star daily of the country's EU accreditation following notification by Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Director Malcolm Sarmiento.

 

The country went through a review by the EU--from harvesting to processing as well as water quality--of its compliance with the HACCP requirements in October last year to check if the country had addressed the deficiencies noted way back in 2004.

 

During the October 2006 review, the EU inspection mission noted the substantial progress in terms of remedial measures required to address the deficiencies observed in 2004 on fishery and aquaculture exports to the EU.

 

With the positive signal from the EU, Yap expressed confidence that the country's fish and aquaculture exports to the EU would increase.

 

Philippine fishery and aquaculture exports amount to between P8 billion (US$165.1 million) and P10 billion (US$206.44 million) a year.

 

Sarmiento explained that the HACCP is an international standard of food safety and quality and that very few countries meet the EU's stringent food and safety requirements.

 

Following the favourable EU decision, Sarmiento revealed that local exporters have received increased orders for fish and aquaculture products from the Philippines.

 

Sarmiento is confident that other countries such as the US, Japan, Korea, Middle East will now be interested to buy fish and aquaculture products from the Philippines.

 

The Philippines' major fish and aquaculture exports are canned tuna, prawns and bangus (milkfish).